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VOLUME 6, NO. 193

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

GATEWAY DISTRICT STILL IN THE WORKS COMMISSION CONTINUES TO LOOK OVER PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

The Plant City City Commission took the opportunity to analyze a revised version of the Gateway District development during a workshop, on April 11. The Plant City Planning and Zoning Department once again offered another proposal for constructing new buildings along James L. Redman Parkway.

It would be used for civic, commercial, and workplace purposes as well as single and multi-family houses. Civic uses include public schools, colleges, public hospitals, community centers, libraries, museums, fire and police stations, and courthouses.

EASTER EVENTS

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

COUNTY TO ASSIST IN OBTAINING A PASSPORT

Event will help residents receive a passport BRIAN FERNANDES

Courtesy of Plant City Parks and Recreation Department

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

It was an eventful day on April 16 as kids came out with their families to kick off the 33rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt, held at Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex. There were 10,000 eggs hidden around the field. Plus,

STAFF WRITER

golden and sports eggs were out there that were worth extra prizes. Food, bounce houses, and train rides were available as well as an opportunity to take a photo with the Easter bunny. MORE PICTURES ONLINE

Hillsborough County wants to help its residents take that out-of-country getaway they’ve dreamed of with Special Passport Saturday on May 7. The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court and Comptroller staff will assist county residents in applying for a passport. It will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court and Comptroller building, 419 Pierce St., Rm. 140, in Tampa. It will also run at the same time at the Plant City Courthouse, 301 N. Michigan Ave. Rm. 1071, in Plant City. Fees for the Department of State can only be made out in check or money orders. Clerk fees can be paid with cash,

credit card, money order or check, but both payments will be separate. • First time passport books for age 16 and up are $130 • First time passport books and renewals for age 15 and below are $100 • First time passport cards for adults are $30 • First time passport cards or renewals for those below age 18 are $15 •Passport acceptance fee is $35 •Passport photos can be taken at the event for $15. To find out what required documents should be taken to the event, visit www. HillsClerk.com/AdditionalServices/Passport-Services. Walk-ins are welcome and those who would like to make an appointment can do so at www.HillsClerk.com.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

NEWS BRIEFS

Strawberry Festival releases 2022 attendance numbers After the conclusion of the 87th Annual Florida Strawberry Festival, the festival released their comprehensive attendance numbers. The 11-day event drew 543,129 total visitors that took part in concerts, livestock shows, free entertainment, rises, food, vendors, arts and crafts and more. “We had a phenomenal run and we are truly thankful,” Florida Strawberry Festival President Paul Davis said in a press release. “We had good weather, terrific crowds and everyone seemed to be enjoying time with their families.” Belle City Amusements, Inc., the carnival company that provides the rides for the Florida Strawberry Festival, reported a 14 percent increase in sales from 2021’s festival, making it the largest attended midway in the festival’s long-standing history. In addition, despite massive crowds making their way to Plant City for the festival, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Plant City Police Department — both of whom are contracted to conduct security operations during the event — reported

just seven arrests throughout the event. “We want to say thank you to our patrons, vendors, concessionaires, community volunteers, sponsors and everyone who had a hand in making our festival a success,” Davis said. “This event is a team effort, and we look forward to seeing everyone again in 2023.” The 2023 Florida Strawberry Festival will be held March 2 through March 12.

2022 Plant City Easter Egg Hunt Winners Hundreds of children from three to 11 years old participated in the 33rd Annual City-Wide Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 11, the city’s largest crowd for the event ever. With 10,000 Easter eggs hidden, including special golden eggs for prizes, attendees also enjoyed Trina’s Trains and Things, A1 Magic, M6FX LLC for airbrushing, Lakeland Moonwalk and of course the Easter Bunny in attendance for photos. Plant City also wants to recognize all the sponsors of this year’s event, including Global Sports Alliance, Inc., Fazoli’s, Sedita Kilton, Bubba’s 33, Plant City Optimist

Club, Plant City High School Key Club, Toufayan Bakeries and Friends of Recreation and Parks. THIS YEAR’S WINNERS: Top Row (Left to Right): Dylan Cabral (7-8 Nest), Yuletsy Agudo (7-8 Nest), Nicole Pulido (9-11 Nest), Alexa Vargas (3-4 Nest Sister Standing in) Kimberly Sanchez (9-11 Nest), Tobias Price (9-11 Nest), Jaylene Cordoba (7-8 Nest), Hamzah Khan (5-6 Nest) Bottom Row (Left to Right): Isabella Mejia (5-6 Nest), Soren Edmunds( 5-6 Nest), Jacob Bumgarner (5-6 Nest), Blakely Payne (7-8 Nest), Malachi Burkowske (3-4 Nest), Peyton Chubb (3-4 Nest) The last golden egg winner showed up after the photo was taken with their golden egg and is not pictured: Nathan Alejo (9-11 Nest)

Plant City Parks & Recreation to host 25 Optimist Tri-Star Soccer Skills Competition Plant City Parks & Recreation will host the 25th Optimist Tri-Star Soccer Skills

Competition on Saturday, April 30 at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex, 2402 E. Cherry St. The competition emphasizes the three most important fundamental skills of soccer: dribbling, passing and shooting. Participants will go through a series of all three drills in an attempt to reach a perfect score. The points scored from all three drills will then be added together for a cumulative total. Scoring starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 11 a.m. with awards to be handed out after for the top three scorers in each age group: Boys: 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13-14 Girls 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13-14 No pre-registration is needed, all participants will be able to register on site when they compete in this free event, co-sponsored by the Optimist Club of Plant City. For more information, visit www.plantcitygov.com/parksrec

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

COUNTY OFFICIAL DETAILS VOTING PROCESS Supervisor of Elections speaks at luncheon BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

Attendees of the latest Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce luncheon, held on April 14, had the opportunity to get more insight on how votes are processed. Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer was the keynote speaker for the event, held at the Arthur Boring Building, and offered information on the election system as it pertains to the county. He was elected as supervisor in November 2012, took office in January 2013 and is now serving his third term. He is the past president of the Florida Supervisor of Elections and the first supervisor of elections to receive the Governor’s Sterling Award, the highest award for performance excellence in Florida. He also served as chief of staff to the supervisor of elections, received his official designation as a certified elections and registration administrator, and is currently on the Election Center’s Security Task Force. He served in law enforcement for 35 years and retired as a major from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in 2008. During the presentation, Latimer explained how the county fared during the 2020 election. “We normally average about a 70 to 72% turnout for a presidential election. We were 77%,” he said. “We had a lot of people who voted, and it was interesting times because of the pandemic.” Several days before the March 17, 2020 presidential primary in Florida, it was announced that the first two confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the state occurred in Sarasota County and Hillsborough County. On the day of the primary election, 390 concerned poll workers decided not to show up at the polling stations. Leading up to the general election, the Tampa Bay sports teams: the Buccaneers, the Rays and the Lightning, all took to social media to encourage employers to allow their employees to have a day off to vote or work the polling stations. As a result, more than enough people volunteered to work the polls and approximately 2,900 others had to be turned away. Also, the average age for a poll worker dropped from 66 to

55. Hillsborough County is currently the fourth largest state in terms of registered voters - over 900,000, Latimer said. He expects that number to increase to one million by the 2024 election. “Florida actually came out to be the shining star on election night and it was many years of work that got us here,” Latimer said. “The secretary of state actually made a great statement that if you voted in Florida, no matter what method you voted, you can rest assured your vote was counted, and it was counted accurately.” During the past presidential election, Hillsborough County had about 85% of its voters vote prior to election day, he said. By law, Florida can start counting vote-by-mail ballots as early as 22 days before the election. If requesting a mail ballot, voters will now have to include their driver’s license, or ID, or the last four digits of their social security number. Drop boxes are another method of turning in ballots. They will be watched by at least two poll workers and will only be used for early voting, Latimer said. His four offices will also be an alternative way of casting early ballots. U.S. citizens who live abroad as well as active military officers who don’t have an official address in Hillsborough County, can use those offices to mark down as an address when voting. The Florida Supervisors of Elections Association is made up of the supervisor of elections of all 67 counties and works along with the state legislature to make it easier to vote, harder to cheat, and allows them ample time to get returns in early, Latimer said. “By law, I have to have the early vote uploaded the Monday before the election, so that at 7:05 on election morning, we’re releasing the total numbers of vote-by-mail, and early votes that we already have,” he said, adding that the county has successful results due in part to the use of paper ballots. Poll sites close at 7 p.m. on election day for same day voting. Latimer serves on a canvassing board along with two county judges that conducts a public logic accuracy test. In this process, sample ballots are used to test the efficiency of tabulators

– scanning machines that read and record how ballots are marked. Not only does it deposit the ballot, it also stores the information and produces election results at the polling stations. Tabulators are highly sensitive as they can detect any marking outside of the box. When doing the vote-by-mail route, discrepancies are occasionally found with ballots. However, high-speed scanners are used when multiple candidates are marked. The scanner will detect the error and will automatically reject the ballot. When voting in person, the screen will notify that individual that too many candidates have been selected and they can request a new ballot on site. By law, each county has to do a Courtesy of the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office post-election audit. Craig Latimer is the supervisor of elections for Hillsborough County. He and his Latimer’s office is offices in the county are tasked with ensuring accurate voting at the ballot boxes. required to do a 20% Gov. Ron DeSantis. they are registered in or have audit on all the ballots, but he Because of redistricting, voters moved elsewhere. This is done chooses to do 100%. have to be given a new voter inby a mega computer system that One way of doing so is for the formation card this year, Latimer takes driver’s license information canvass board to collect ballots said. It will show the voters’ disand other voting information to from various precincts and hand trict plus their designated polling track that individual. This system count all of them to make sure site, which they must go to, even will also find out whether a voter that the tabulators didn’t make for early voting. has passed away in their home any mistakes. Those who don’t vote by mail state or elsewhere. Another method is using a difwill still receive a sample ballot In addition, those who vote in ferent type of tabulator system to with their information. more than one state are flagged recount the ballots. For more information on and that dilemma is then turned “We basically take every single Hillsborough County’s voting ballot that’s been through a tabu- over to law enforcement. procedures, visit www.VoteHillsAnd those who don’t vote for lator, either in an early vote site, two general election cycles will go borough.gov/. election day… and run them back through the other system to once from active to inactive and then will be considered ineligible after again ensure that the system is counting the votes correctly,” Lat- those two cycles. Plans are currently underway imer said. “There’s been all this to do reprecincting – adjusting chatter out there. Misinformation the precinct lines. This is dictated basically about doing audits. We by the redistricting the electoral do an audit after every single boundaries on the state’s map, election. Anybody can come to which has yet to be signed by it and watch it. We’re constantly, constantly auditing ballots.” Florida is one of 32 states that is a part of the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to determine whether a voter is stilling living within the county

COPS CORNER

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

PLANT CITY

This week on Cops Corner: Plant

Observer

City Police investigate a fleeing vehicle, an illegal firearm and credit card fraud. istock

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Sports Writer / Taylor Jenkins tjenkins@plantcityobserver.com Staff Writer / Brian Fernandes bfernandes@plantcityobserver.com Advertising Graphic Designer / Juan Alvarez Circulation/ Office Manager / Linda Lancaster LLancaster@PlantCityObserver.com

APRIL 8

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

WINDOW PAINS

QUIET NIGHT

500 block of N. Walker St. Vehicle burglary: Officers met with the victim who reported that sometime during the night an unknown individual entered their vehicle and multiple items were stolen.

2600 block of James L. Redman Pkwy. Fleeing to elude: Officers conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle that fails to dim its high beams to oncoming traffic. The vehicle then fled from the stop.

1500 block of S. Park Rd. Criminal mischief: Officers responded to the listed location and made contact with the victim who advised them that he came home and noticed that the window on his trailer was damaged.

APRIL 10

APRIL 13

DOUBLE TROUBLE

ROAD WORK

CARD SHARK

S. Maryland Ave. / E. Alsobrook St. Felon in possession of firearm: Officers conducted a traffic stop for failing to signal while changing lanes. The individual was subsequently arrested for felon in possession of a firearm and transported to Orient Road Jail.

Water St. / E. Alabama St. Criminal mischief: Officers responded to the listed location in reference to subjects arguing in the roadway. The interaction resulted in one individual arrested for throwing a deadly missile into a vehicle and criminal mischief under $1,000. The individual was transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

2700 block of Turkey Creed Rd. Fraudulent use of credit card: Officers met with the victim in the lobby at the listed location. The victim then reported that a company credit card was previously used fraudulently.

1800 block of Bethune Dr. Warrant arrest: Officers were patrolling the listed location when they observed an individual sitting on the curb who waved to them after noticing the patrol vehicle. Officers made contact with the individual who advised that he was in a verbal altercation with the other individual on the scene. Officers determined that the altercation was not physical and that no criminal act had occurred. After the second individual identified himself, however, it was discovered that they had two active warrants out of Hillsborough County and one active warrant out of Polk County. All warrants were confirmed that the individual was subsequently transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

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The Plant City Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. The Plant City Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100B. If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

COMMISSION STILL ANALYZING GATEWAY CONCEPT REVISIONS MAE TO FURTHER BUILD PROJECT OFF REDMAN

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

It would also be comprised of two or more climate-controlled, mini-storage units. What was originally suggested as being the Mixed-Use Gateway will now be referred to as just the Gateway District as the former description may be used in referring to other potential developments in Plant City. However, each structure is subject to having at least two purposes, but residences cannot make up more than 80%. A buffer of at least 500 feet must be between Redman Parkway and the residential developments in lieu of the 300-foot buffer that was initially suggested. Enhanced landscaping along Redman Parkway would be required to have one tree every 25 feet. Trees would be required to be in two rows and there must be a continuous row of hedges. The proposed code language for the Gateway states that, “These

supplemental regulations are intended to regulate those developments within the Gateway District to create a “sense of place” through architecturally appealing design, require the interconnection of uses, protect, and enhance the pedestrian environment and allow for a mix of land uses which will strengthen opportunities for economic vitality and diverse housing opportunities within the Gateway District.” To meet code the development: • Has a minimum lot area of 75 feet wide and 7,500 square feet • Establishes setback standards for multi-use buildings, basing setbacks on the use residing on the first floor • Has a building next to, across from, or diagonal to another building that doesn’t share the same color, model or architectural features • Building elevations for all types of development are required The maximum height of a building would be four stories or 60 feet and allows residences to be located above nonresidential

establishments. Nonresidential buildings would have tri-partite type architecture so that each has a distinct base, middle and top. Buildings under 25,000 square feet, must provide vertical and horizontal articulations in the form of indentions and components that relate to human scale. To steer away from having a mundane appearance, buildings will be required to have more than one color. They cannot be predominantly black or neon or florescent colors. Structures will also have to have diverse architecture from windows, doors, awnings, canopies, offsets, column reveals, and projecting ribs at least every 30 feet. Only monument signs identifying an establishment can be erected and cannot exceed 10 feet. Buildings located at the main entrance of a development or major intersection are required to have landmark features such as towers, cupolas, porta cocheres, gabled roofs or artwork. Flat roofs have to have a cornice treat-

ment or a parapet that is 2 feet high. Visible roofs should be light colored or green. Street walls would be permitted as a means to screen parking spaces or to frame public spaces like courtyards or outdoor dining. The walls are required to be made of brick masonry, wrought iron, stone or other decorative materials that complement the building, but no chain links, wire, or PVC fences. They would be the only type of screening along roadways and could span anywhere from 3 feet to 5 feet tall. The development should have minimal entryways onto and off Redman Parkway and has an interconnection for vehicular and pedestrian linkages. Parking would have to be limited to the side or rear of the proposed structures, and 15% of parking will be reduced to better accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians. Prohibited building elements, details, and materials include: • Modular buildings • Pre-engineered metal build-

ings with metal building skin • Unfinished vertical pre-cast concrete surfaces • Open walled, shed roof storage facilities • Reflective, opaque and/or bronze tinted glass • Chain link, plastic panel, barbed wire, razor wire or wire mesh fences, but vinyl-coated chain links would be acceptable • Applied mansard roofs • Glossy finished awnings • Wall or window mounted mechanical equipment visible from the main street A final vote on the project could occur as early as October. It will be reviewed by the Planning Board and the board will give its recommendation to the commission - which will ultimately make the final decision.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

MEET NEW LEAD OF MAIN STREET: DAWN HYATT HYATT RECENTLY TOOK HER ROLE HAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PLANT CITY MAIN STREET.

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

“I love this community in all honesty.” It’s a sentiment that Dawn Hyatt has confidently expressed in a short three weeks of moving to Plant City. She took on her new role on April 1 and has felt at home with the reception she has received. “I’ve been very humbled with just how welcoming this community has been,” Hyatt said. Her arrival came after being offered two opening positions by a Florida Main Street coordinator earlier this year and she chose to come to Plant City. She is originally from Seattle but has also called Texas her home. Hyatt is retired from the Army after serving eight years in the U.S. and abroad in Germany. “Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a soldier,” she said. “It was just something I was passionate about. Whether it’s been military or anything out in the public civilian sector, it’s always been public service. That’s where my heart is drawn.” Hyatt continued serving others when she moved to Crestview to live closer to her son, who serves in the military. There she got involved with the town’s Main Street organization. As time went on, Hyatt decided that she wanted to venture outside of Crestview and seek a city in Central Florida to live. After visiting Plant City and experiencing “southern hospitality,” she decided to accept the job opportunity in town. Walking along McCall Park she was constantly greeted by those who passed by, she recalled. Whether a new resident or a tourist, Plant City Main Street will inform oth-

ers about the shops, restaurants and other establishments that downtown has to offer, even providing a map of the region. The organization hosts many events such as Last Friday in Downtown, the upcoming TopGolf Tournament 2022, Henry’s Hidden Train Hunt, and Food Truck Nights. Since coming to town, she has seen the potential that has made Plant City what it is and sees where it can go further. “We have some hidden gems in this city, especially in our downtown area that aren’t utilized, that should be,” Hyatt said. “Hopefully I’ll be able to bring them to light for the community.” This can be accomplished with the cohesive teamwork of what she calls the four pillars: the Chamber of Commerce, City of Plant City, Main Street and the Economic Development Corporation (EDC). Even the comradery between the downtown businesses has impressed her since taking her executive directing position. “All the merchants – there is such a unity here that I haven’t seen anywhere else,” she said. “The merchants all like to help each other. It’s about we and how do we grow. What do we do for our community?” While having a leadership role, Hyatt said she would still like to get a sense of how things operate within Main Street. “I think the safest thing to do when you take over any new position is to watch how the wheels are already Courtesy of Dawn Hyatt Dawn Hyatt is the new executive director of Plant City Main Street. She started her role on April 1.

running, and if it’s not broke, then you don’t need to fix it,” she said. “But there’s always room to add to.” In addition to the functions that Main Street hosts, she said she is looking forward to other events such as the July 4th celebration. When Hyatt came to town last month for her interviewing process, she was unable to attend the Florida Strawberry Festival, but said that she got an idea of its popularity with the heavy traffic. However, she is looking forward to

doing amazing things for next year’s festival. “I love that it’s put Plant City on the map,” Hyatt said. “I just hope we can come up with some other things that will just blow Plant City out of the water. I’ve come with a book full of ideas.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Dean’s Ride hits the road for its 10th year

The annual fundraiser saw a huge turnout for this year’s event.

Photos courtesy of the Plant City YMCA

TAYLOR JENKINS STAFF WRITER

The 10th Annual Dean’s Ride fundraiser took place last month in Plant City, starting and ending at Keel Farm and featuring four different cycling distances for participants to take on as they pedal through the city’s quiet country roads. Riders from across the country congregated on Saturday, March 26, where they were able to take in some free refreshments and snacks before the 7:30 a.m. start when participants embarked on a 61-, 35-, 24- or 9-mile ride. After the ride itself, lunch, music, craft beer and Keel Farms cider was available for everyone to enjoy. Dean’s Ride is one of the Plant City YMCA’s largest annual fundraisers, with all proceeds going directly to the Y in support of programs like LIVESTRONG, a free wellness program for cancer survivors, as well as other programs for their members and the local community. This year’s ride featured 212 individual participants and raised over $11,000, with both numbers finishing as the secondlargest marks in their 10-year run, organized and orchestrated by an eight-person committee made up of Plant City community members.

“The event has almost doubled in size over the past couple of years and that’s 100 percent attributed to our volunteer committee,” Plant City YMCA Executive Director Paul Conley said. “We’ve had a tremendous group that’s run it. They’re passionate about it, they want it to grow and it has… I think that when get over 200 biking enthusiasts out there to raise money for a cancer survivorship program, it’s just a really fun and cool event.” The YMCA’s LIVESTRONG program is a 12-week, small-group program aimed at helping adults who have become de-conditioned or chronically fatigued from cancer treatment and/or the disease itself, all at no cost to the survivors and their families. “It’s a 12-week program where cancer survivors come together with one of our trainers twice per week,” Conley said. “They work on both the mental and physical aspects of overcoming 5/5/22 & 4/19/22 cancer and KU-Lakeland during that time they have a free member231-2013 Keiser_May_Ads ship for bothPlant them and their family to the City Observer 5x6 YMCA.” MS 4.5.22

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

SPORTS

PLANT CITY BREAKS LOSING STREAK, STRAWBERRY CREST AND DURANT KEEP WINNING

AROUND THE DIAMOND

After a rough skid, Plant City broke back into the win column while Durant extended their winning streak before this week’s big series. TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

After a loss to Alonso earlier in the month and a tough loss on senior night to East Bay last week, Plant City finished off their week with a 6-2 loss at the hands of a very good Sickles team on Thursday night, bringing their losing streak to three games. After Sickles scored one run in each of the first two innings, Plant City battled back in the fourth to tie it with their first run coming by way of a solo home run from Jackson VanDerZee — his fifth of the season — and their second run coming when pinch runner Colin Pellicer went from second to home on a fielding error that followed a sacrifice bunt attempt from Zane Wright. Sickles responded quickly with four more runs of their own in the top of the fifth, pulling ahead 6-2 and holding on for the victory. This week Plant City finally broke back into the win column

on Monday with a 2-0 shutout win over a tough Lennard team that started the season on a 12-game win streak and entered the contest at 14-3. Despite just six hits in the contest, the Raiders were able to power through with RBI’s from senior Colin Shultz and sophomore Chase Mobley while the junior trio of Tanner Rollyson, Preston Rogers and Adan Longoria were able to keep the Longhorns off the board with just four hits allowed. Durant ended their week with a 5-0 victory over Newsome last Thursday, sweeping the season series after a 5-2 win over the Wolves on March 31. Five different Cougars crossed the plate in the contest, but it was the pitching of their top two starters Blaine Rowland and Torin Byrnes — recently signing with the University of Tampa — that stole the show. Rowland allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out six over his four innings of work and Byrnes threw three nearly

perfect innings, his lone baserunner coming via a hit by pitch, en route to the two-hit shutout of Newsome. The Cougars then returned to action on Tuesday with a huge 12-1 win over Spoto in five innings. Sophomore Noah Morales led the charge offensively with two hits in his two at bats, totaling four RBIs and one run scored while hitting his first home run of the season. Byrnes, Oscar Fernandez and Nick April-Gath all added multihit performances as Durant racked up 17 hits on the night. Freshman Dylan Hotz, sophomore Pete Oderio and senior Grant Greenwell handled the pitching duties as they combined for five strikeouts and six hits allowed while giving up just one earned run. After their first game was rescheduled due to weather, originally planned for earlier in the season, Durant and Plant City kicked off the first installment of their back-to-back series on Wednesday night with

their second game following on Thursday night. After a thrilling nine-inning win over Robinson last Tuesday, Strawberry Crest headed to Plant High School on Thursday for a rematch of their Saladino semifinal loss against the Panthers earlier in the year, coming away with a narrow 3-2 victory this time. Junior Zach Redner got the start for the Chargers, allowing two runs in a complete-game effort while striking out nine. He also pushed a run across via a sacrifice fly while Arjun Nimmala tacked on an RBI of his own in a 2-for-3 day as he’s started to find his rhythm offensively after missing the first half of the season with an injury, stretching his hitting streak to three games. On Tuesday, the Chargers fell 4-3 as they hosted 14-6 Wharton. In the bottom of the first, Redner reached on a single before coming all the around to score on a deep drive down the right field

line off the bat of Eli Vickers, giving the Chargers a 1-0 lead early. They tacked on two more in the second by way of an RBI triple from junior Alex Philpott, later being driven in on a ground ball from senior Eddie Cruz. Wharton closed the gap in the top of the third as they put their first run on the board and followed up with three more runs in the top of the fourth, scoring four runs and holding on for the win despite managing just four hits on the evening. The loss puts Crest at 14-7 as they prepare to face 7-12 Gaither on Thursday.

Taylor Jenkins is the Sports Writer at the Plant City Observer. Email: tjenkins@ plantcityobserver.com.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS, TRACK AND FIELD RESULTS The track and field teams from Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest all took to the Hillsborough County Championships last week before the district finals meet. Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest all made their way to Wharton High School last week for the Hillsborough County Track and Field Championships, with athletes from each school placing in different events.

BOYS

4 X 100 RELAY 3rd: Plant City

4 X 400 RELAY 4th: Plant City

4 X 800 RELAY 8th: Plant City

LONG JUMP

400 METERS

15th: Jariyah Sawyer, Plant City

3rd: Romello Jones, Plant City 4th: Ian Jolly, Plant City 7th: Marcus Miguele, Durant

800 METERS

TRIPLE JUMP

14th: Avery Coons, Plant City

110 HURDLES

9th: Steel Craig, Strawberry Crest

300 HURDLES

9th: Cole Highsmith, Plant City

5th: Miles Jones, Strawberry Crest 13th: Malachi Morris

SHOT PUT 7th: Jovani Torres 8th: Rhet Conyers 15th: Kaden Mizell

DISCUS

10th: Jovani Torres 13th: Javan Futch 14th: Judson Smith

JAVELIN

2nd: Kaden Mizell

GIRLS 100 METERS

4th: Erica Holloman, Plant City

200 METERS

6th: Erica Holloman, Plant City

800 METERS

6th: Faith Palmer, Strawberry Crest 10th: Kiana Kropp, Plant City

4 X 100 RELAY 3rd: Plant City

4 X 400 RELAY

10th: Strawberry Crest 13th: Plant City

4 X 800 RELAY

9th: Strawberry Crest 12th: Plant City

LONG JUMP

10th: Makayla Holmes, Plant City 11th: Makenzie Holmes, Plant City 13th: Mikah Jones, Strawberry Crest 14th: Erica Holloman, Plant City

TRIPLE JUMP

9th: Sevena Ivey, Durant 10th: Lexi Naeher, Durant 12th: Angeles Irigoyen, Strawberry Crest

DISCUS 6th: Alyssa Stahl, Plant City 13th: Paige Zarecor, Plant City

JAVELIN 1st: Madelyn Schmalenberger, Plant City 5th: Alyssa Stahl, Plant City 9th: Angelina Jimenez, Durant

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

STRAWBERRY CREST SOFTBALL EXTENDS LENGTHY WINNING STREAK

The Chargers rallied past Wharton, cruising to another win. TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

Strawberry Crest softball hosted Wharton on Tuesday night, coming away with an 8-2 victory, extending their winning streak to six games and moving to 11-3 on the season. Junior pitcher Ariana Rego started the contest for the Chargers, as she has every single game this season, striking out two of the first three batters she faced in the first. And Crest wasted no time jumping out to an early lead in the bottom half of the frame. After a leadoff walk from junior Alexa Ringuette, she moved to second on a walk from freshman Kennedy Shea and was driven home for the first run of the game on a single up the middle from freshman Lola Coole. Senior Senior Lauren Ray added the Chargers’ second run with a sacrifice fly to left and an RBI single from

junior Kylee Dodson gave Crest a 3-0 lead after one. In the bottom of the third, Crest utilized having one of the deepest parks in the county as they added two more runs. After an inside-the-park home run from Shea put them up 4-0, Ray and junior Hannah Booth came up big with back-to-back triples to extend the lead to 5-0. Rego’s lone blemish on the evening came in the top of the fourth. After runners moved into scoring position at second and third, a base hit up the middle scored two and cut the Wharton deficit to 5-2, but she would battle back and remain nearly flawless for the rest of the night. In the fifth, senior Keelyn Johnson drove in two more runs with a bases loaded single and Crest would add one final run in the sixth to cap off the victory. The win moved them to 11-3 on the season and they remain

undefeated in district play at 4-0. Over their six-game win streak, Strawberry Crest’s bats have been on fire with an average of 13 runs scored per game while allowing just five total runs in that stretch. Crest’s offense now has four different players batting .500 or better on the season – led by Shea at .556, Coole at .526, Dodson at .525, and Booth at .500 – while four more players are hitting over .400. Crest hasn’t participated in any tournament play this year due to just one starting pitcher at their disposal and that’s resulted in a few less games played than many other teams in their division, but Shea is still tied for seventh in the state’s 6A division with 26 runs batted in and sits ninth in slugging percentage. “I’m super happy with how they’ve been hitting the ball recently,” head coach Ashton

Johnson said. “It started maybe a week and a half ago, they’ve just started really seeing the ball better and instead of one hit this inning and two hits that inning, they’re starting to string them together which is nice heading into the postseason. It’s kind of peaking at the right time.” Rego transferred from Durant to Strawberry Crest this year and despite pitching just one inning with the Cougars as a sophomore last season, has completely transformed the Chargers’ team this year. Their lone pitcher this season – throwing every single inning over their 14 games – Rego has allowed just 48 hits and 21 earned runs while striking out 117 hitters over 80 innings pitched en route to a 1.84 earned run average. “She actually came from a high school where she

hardly got to play at all,” Johnson said. “So the fact that she’s come in here and pitched basically every game, every inning that we’ve asked her to and performed so well, it’s huge. If she hadn’t come here, we would have had a completely different season.” Strawberry Crest will return to action on Friday as they head to Wiregrass Ranch before taking on Robinson and East Bay next week to wrap up their regular season play.

Taylor Jenkins is the Sports Writer at the Plant City Observer. Email: tjenkins@ plantcityobserver.com.

Member FDIC

Happy New Year from The Bank of Tampa.

Wishing you a prosperous 2022! At The Bank of Tampa, the relationships we have with our clients and communities go far beyond transactional banking—we stand by them every step of the way, during the good times and the uncertain ones. Each person, business, and situation is unique. You deserve personalized service. You deserve a relationship. And we are in the relationship business. 509 W ALEXANDER ST. | PLANT CITY, FL | 33563

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

PlantCityObserver.com

YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

289704-1

We asked Plant City: If you had to live without one of your five senses, which one would you choose to live without and why? “The pollen levels in Hillsborough County are so bad, it’s like I already can’t smell. I’ll pick that!” - Matt Smith “Hearing… I’ll read lips. I hate loud noises.” - Karri Friederich “Taste. I’m a very picky eater that often eats just because of how good the food is. Knock out two birds with with one stone: now I can eat almost anything and because there’s no taste, I’ll only be doing it for sustenance.” - Jerry Jungle

“Smell. The smell of good food makes you hungry. Some people could really use more frequent showers.” - Craig Jeffrey “Smell. Most things that you smell don’t smell nice anyway.” - Homar Hernandez

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

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116 North Collins Street Plant City, FL 33563 ph: (813) 567-5735 allabloomtampa.com

YOUR CALENDAR

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

BEST BET FRIDAY, APRIL 22 CELEBRATE EARTH DAY 4 to 6 p.m. at 2001 E. Cherry St. Head down to the Plant City Commons Community Garden and celebrate Earth Day 2022. The Plant City Commons Community Garden is located on Hillsborough Community College’s Plant City campus and the fun-for-all event, celebrating the anniversary of the modern environmental movement, will feature speakers and refreshments, hosted by the Plant City Dems.

FRIDAY, APRIL 22

THURSDAY, MAY 5

GREG FUENTES UNPLUGGED

MAIN STREET TOP GOLF TOURNAMENT

7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. It’s Krazy Kup’s pleasure to welcome the talented musical artist Greg Fuentes to perform live at the Loft, bringing a unique and special acoustic interpretation of classic folk, rock and country music. Krazy Kup is sure you’ll be impressed. Admission is free and donations to the bucket of love are encouraged.

5 to 8 p.m. at 10690 Palm River Rd. Head to Top Golf for this fun networking event, sponsored by Plant City Main Street. Top Golf is a high-tech, state-of-the-art interactive driving range and entertainment complex that features climate-controlled hitting bays and fun for golfers of all skill levels, including novices. In addition to the tournament, you’ll have to opportunity to take in a mouthwatering dinner buffet and open bar served in a private VIP room. With sponsorship packages ranging from $100 to $500, you can register now or get more information at www.plantcitymainstreet.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 23 BLUEGRASS NIGHT WITH SOUTHERN EXPRESS

7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Head to Krazy Kup and enjoy some great Bluegrass music with the local Southern Express Bluegrass Band. Based in Auburndale, the group features several experienced Bluegrass musicians and is no stranger to performing all throughout the Central Florida area. Admission is $15 and will be available at the door on the night of the event or at www.eventbrite. com.

SATURDAY, MAY 7 RVR HORSE RESCUE SUMMER FEST

FRIDAY, APRIL 29 LAST FRIDAY IN DOWNTOWN

5 to 9 p.m. at McCall Park, 100 N. Collins St. The Last Friday in Downtown Food Truck Rally is held with a new theme each month. There will be live music, market vendors and food trucks. The event is family and pet friendly and all are recommended to bring chairs and blankets. This month’s theme will be May The 4th Be With You (Star Wars).

SATURDAY, APRIL 30 BILLY MCKNIGHT LIVE

7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Musician Billy McKnight is bringing his talent to the Loft at Krazy Kup. The winner of the ‘People’s Choice’ Talent Award at the 2021 Florida Strawberry Festival, McKnight is ready to put on a show that will entertain audiences of all ages and you surely won’t want to miss. The event will feature no cover and no charge, but donations are encouraged.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS WITH ESTRANGED FAMILIES

6:30 to 8 p.m. at GracePoint Church, 1107 Charlie Griffin Rd. Join other parents who are estranged from their adult children. PEAK (Parents of Estranged Adult Kids) group provides a safe place to listen, share and support others going through the hurt of adult family abandonment. Meetings will include group discussions, self-care and positively-influenced activities to help cope with the situation. Meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month. For more information, visit www.peaksupportgroup.com.

11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1710 W. State Road 60. RVR Horse Rescue is swinging the barn doors open for their Summer Fest fundraising event next month. The event will take place at their ranch and feature tons of family-friendly fun, including three live bands, food provided by 3C’s Catering, games, raffles, face painting, horse trivia, wheel of fortune, local vendors and artisans and more. But of course, the main attraction is a chance to tour the ranch and meet with all of their rescued horses. Parking and admission is free and with RVR Horse Rescue being 100 percent volunteer-owned and operated, every penny raised will go directly to the care of horses in need. For more information, visit www.rvrhorserescue.com.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FORECAST

Send your photo submissions to staff writer Taylor Jenkins at tjenkins@plantcityobserver.com or hashtag #iloveplantcity on Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature.

THURSDAY, APRIL 21 High: 85 Low: 64 Chance of rain: 5%

FRIDAY, APRIL 22 High: 86 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 5%

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

SUNRISE/SUNSET Sunrise Sunset Thursday, April 22

6:57a

7:57p

Friday, April 23

6:56a

7:57p

Saturday, April 24

6:55a

7:58p

Sunday, April 25

6:54a

7:58p

Monday, April 26

6:53a

7:59p

Tuesday, April 27

6:52a

8:00p

Wednesday, April 28

6:51a

8:00p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, APRIL23 High: 87 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 6%

SUNDAY, APRIL24 High: 90 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 15%

MONDAY, APRIL 25 Stephanie Hrenchir submitted this photo of the USAF Thunderbirds soaring overhead during the Sun n Fun Air Show earlier this month.

ONLINE

High: 92 Low: 67 Chance of rain: 19%

Across 1 It’s found in a lock ... or a loch 4 Founder of one of Israel’s Twelve Tribes 9 Multilevel marketing giant 14 “WALL-E” FX 15 __ territory 16 Lake near Squaw Valley 17 Beneficial tree tapping? 19 Leaning 20 Vex 21 Come into 23 Willing subject? 26 Renowned 29 Wildebeest with a habit?

32 Wells’ Weena et al. 33 Mississippi river to the Mississippi River 34 The Aire runs through it 35 Common online interruptions 38 Domed building 41 “Give or take” ending 42 Actress Tierney 44 Projectionist’s stack 46 Otherwise 47 Hoop site? 52 One-named “Unapologetic” singer 54 Pang 55 “That completely overwhelmed me!” 58 Favorable points

59 Range 61 Reversed, in a way ... and a hint to the creation of five puzzle answers 64 Garçon’s handout 65 Go on the stump 66 Oklahoma native 67 Binge-watching mealtime aids 68 Not cool at all 69 Mint holder Down 1 Earth tones 2 Fair-hiring problem 3 Venetian marketplace 4 Contrail source 5 John Irving alma mater:

Abbr. 6 Lucy’s guy 7 “__ Called Ove”: 2015 film 8 Honky-tonk line? 9 Big name in games 10 Play before supper 11 Hawaiian wedding accessory? 12 Early internet co. 13 Still 18 Needing caulking 22 LiMu __: ad bird 24 Prom queen topper 25 Carmaker Ferrari 27 Subtle approvals 28 Morticia, to Gomez 30 Came down with 31 Melon, e.g. 34 Bochco series 35 OAS part: Abbr. 36 Surrealist friend of García Lorca 37 Top for a Japanese dish? 39 Prefix with con 40 Dexterous 43 “Survivor” genre 45 Wading bird 47 Half of nine? 48 One with an anthem 49 Plant deeply 50 Rainforest rodent 51 Lie atop 53 Score in a score 56 Memo intro 57 Old despot 59 Pretend to be 60 Deface 62 “__ be fun!”

April 30 New

May 8 First

May 16 Full

April 23 Last

RAINFALL LAST WEEK:

MONTH TO DATE:

0.00 in.

2.31 in.

YEAR TO DATE:

APRIL AVERAGE:

9.90 in.

2.88 in.

STRAWBERRIES Shipping point: Central Florida $14.00-$16.00

Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Great health care is closer than you think. South Florida Baptist Hospital is more than just a small community hospital. We’ve got a wide array of specialty care and surgical services that you don’t have to travel far to get. Our surgeons are experts in minimally invasive robotic surgical procedures that provide lots of benefits, including shorter hospital stays, decreased blood loss and smaller incisions that reduce the risk of infection. Plus, faster recovery times that mean you can get back to your normal activities sooner. You’ll find comprehensive orthopedic care—whether you’re an athlete who needs sports medicine services or you’re someone who needs a total joint replacement. Our all-inclusive gynecology program offers high-quality care to the women and mothers in our community with a variety of women’s care services. We’ve even been designated as a Center of Excellence for our weight loss surgery program, meeting nationally recognized standards and providing outstanding care to our patients. And all of this extraordinary care exists right here in Plant City. Learn more: SouthFloridaBaptistSurgery.org

21-1493769-0521

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